This study examines how environmental issues have been addressed in the water sector in Brazil, within the context of activities of the Federal Government, generally, and those implemented under Bank sector operations, in particular. The core focus of the study lies in the management of water quality, as it affects both the users of raw water, and those who are primarily concerned with the disposal of wastewater. The report considers the following three sectoral areas concomitantly - water resources management, water supply and sanitation, and, the environment - thus limiting its review, and focus to those themes which are key to the over-arching issue of water quality. Water resources management in the country relied upon heavy investments in medium, and large scale projects that provided basic infrastructure for water uses. However, these have produced questionable impacts in terms of reducing poverty, and inequality. One of the reasons for this, has been the poor infrastructure management, which despite its importance, has been largely underestimated. While improvements in the utilization of existing infrastructure in the water sector remain critical, it needs to be complemented by incentives to both service providers, and water users. Moreover, low economic, environmental, and social returns from investments in the water sector, reflect the tendency to distract attention from the objectives in the design, and implementation of projects. Thus, an assessment of water quality goals is required, which should be based on systematic evaluations of the costs, and benefits of reaching alternative standards, and explicit social objectives.

En el presente trabajo se aborda el estudio cinético del proceso de biodegradación de una mezcla comercial de bifenilos policlorados, Aroclor 1242, en sistemas agua/sedimentos empleando un cultivo mixto aclimatado. Las variables ensayadas han sido: relación masa de sedimento/volumen de agua (m/V), adición de un cosustrato, influencia de la bioestimulación y bioaumentación y adición de un tensioactivo no iónico. Los resultados obtenidos, empleando el modelo de Middelton o modelo General de Biorremediación, muestran que el modelo se ajusta a todos los casos estudiados y permite obtener parámetros cinéticos de interés como son, la concentración de sustrato resistente a la biodegradación y la constante cinética de velocidad

River sediments have the capability to accumulate and absorb traces of anthropic environmental degradation. In this work, we investigated the effects of urban land use on the composition of physical sediment. For this purpose, sediment profiles were collected in the wet and dry seasons and in locations with mixed land-use. For the sediment analysis, particle size separation, organic matter degradation, visual analysis of the thickest fraction using a magnifying glass and stereomicroscope analysis of the particle size material corresponding to the sands were performed. It was observed that the sedimentation of synthetic materials and plastics (fragments and fibres) were the most frequently found materials. More intense urban occupation areas and with less riparian vegetation suffer more from this degradation than rural areas or areas with preserved riparian vegetation. The dam in the basin accumulates more materials (macro and microplastics) and has the role of containing and preventing these residues from being transported downstream. The importance of investing in environmental management measures is emphasized, and based on the sampled sites assessed, the restoration of riparian vegetation, greater inspection of inadequate waste disposal and public cleaning actions are suggested, including actions in the Tibiriçá dam.

Mandalay is a major city in central Myanmar with a high urban population and which lacks a central wastewater management system, a solid waste disposal process, and access to treated drinking water. The purpose of this study is to investigate the groundwater quality of local dug wells and tube wells, determine quantitative data on characteristics of the Amarapura Aquifer, and compare seasonal variations in groundwater flow and quality. Water samples were collected during the dry and wet seasons, then analyzed for major ion chemistry using ion chromatography to identify indicators of wastewater contamination transport to the shallow aquifer and to compare seasonal variations in groundwater chemistry. An open-source analytic element model, GFLOW, was used to describe the physical hydrogeology and to determine groundwater flow characteristics in the aquifer. Hydrogeochemistry data and numerical groundwater flow models provide evidence that the Amarapura Aquifer is susceptible to contamination from anthropogenic sources. The dominant water types in most dug wells and tube wells is Na-Cl, but there is no known geologic source of NaCl near Mandalay. Many of these wells also contain water with high electrical conductivity, chloride, nitrate, ammonium, and E. coli. Physical measurements and GFLOW characterize groundwater flow directions predominantly towards the Irrawaddy River and with average linear velocities ranging from 1.76 × 10⁻² m/day (2.04 × 10⁻⁷ m/s) to 9.25 m/day (1.07 × 10⁻⁴ m/s). This is the first hydrogeological characterization conducted in Myanmar.

El agua potable es un recurso imprescindible para garantizar los derechos y la calidad de vida del ser humano, ya que su contaminación desencadena situaciones de riesgo para la salud de las comunidades. Es por ello, que el siguiente estudio caracteriza la problemática del agua de consumo que actualmente viven los habitantes de Monterrey, un corregimiento ubicado al sur del departamento de Bolívar- Colombia, que por su condición de conflicto armado y olvido estatal, no dispone de agua potable y saneamiento básico. | Drinkable water is an essential resource for ensuring the rights and quality of human life, pollution triggers risk situations for the health of communities. Therefore, the next study characterizes the problem of drinking water currently living inhabitants of Monterrey, a township located south of Bolivar, Colombia, whose condition of armed conflict and state attention, water is not available and basic sanitation. The aim of this degree work was to evaluate the system of water supply and excreta disposal of the population, in order to propose solutions for systems and community health. | Ecólogo (a) | Pregrado

Shallow groundwater is the main source for drinking water in Kabul, Afghanistan. It comes from a multitude of shallow hand-pumped wells spread over the whole city area. The groundwater is characterised by slightly oxic redox conditions. Interactions with aquifer carbonates lead to near-neutral pH and high degrees of hardness. The mostly negative water budget of the Kabul Basin is the result of strong evaporation which leads to an increase in salt and also of some undesirable constituents, e.g. borate. Several years of drought have aggravated this problem. The shallow groundwater in the city has received tremendous amounts of pollution due to a lack of proper waste disposal and sewage treatment. Common indicators are elevated concentrations of nutrients such as nitrate and faecal bacteria. The high infant mortality can at least partially be attributed to the insufficient water hygiene. Acid generated during the mineralisation of the wastewater is hidden due to the strong pH buffering capacity of the groundwater system. Redox and pH conditions preclude significant mobilisation of trace metals and metalloids.